Chocolate While Breastfeeding: Is It Safe?

Chocolate while breastfeeding sounds great. You’re tired, you’re breastfeeding all the time, and you need something sweet to feel better and energized.

Many women think that they can eat everything they want during pregnancy, but that’s not entirely true. As you know, everything you eat is also your baby’s food.

Since your baby’s digestive system is different, some things aren’t recommended for him or her. So, the best thing you can do as a new mom is to educate yourself.

As soon as you give birth, as your doctor what to eat. Use the internet and other sources to find out more about the food you’re consuming. If you do this, you could prevent possible problems with your baby’s health.

When it comes to chocolate while breastfeeding, this article will resolve your dilemma. You will now know how it affects you and your baby.

Chocolate While Breastfeeding: Is It Safe?

Most people think that eating chocolate while breastfeeding is fine. However, the answer is a bit more complicated. According to certain studies, eating chocolate while pregnant is allowed, but you have to be careful when it comes to the amount of chocolate.

Chocolate contains an ingredient that is not recommended for nursing mothers since it can have negative effects for their breast milk. Theobromine in chocolate is a stimulant, similar to caffeine.

It can give you additional energy and it can help you stay alert. This sounds great when you’re a nursing mom, but just like caffeine, theobromine is also not good for babies and lactation.

There are also certain kinds of chocolate that contain caffeine too. You probably know that you should also limit your caffeine intake. It can be a great energy booster for adults, but high amounts of caffeine are not good for your baby.

Darker chocolate contains more theobromine than milk and white chocolate. Because of this, you should choose a type of chocolate that is not so dark. Dark chocolate is healthier because of some other reasons, but when it comes to chocolate while breastfeeding, it’s better to skip it.

Moms who eat a lot of chocolate while breastfeeding reported problems with the baby’s behavior. Babies were crying a lot, couldn’t sleep, and they were irritable and fussy in general.

If you eat chocolate, it won’t affect your breast milk supply, but it will affect the breast milk.

That happens when your baby is overstimulated. So, avoiding stimulants like caffeine and chocolate is a must when you’re nursing. Chocolate while breastfeeding – yes, but in moderation.

How Much Chocolate Can I Consume While Breastfeeding?

If you love chocolate, it can be hard to know what amount is enough. It’s hard to consume chocolate while breastfeeding if you don’t know the number.

According to some studies, breastfeeding mothers can consume up to 300mg of chocolate per day. So, try to consume this amount of chocolate per day, and there is no need to worry.

Theobromine is not good for your breastfeeding baby, and you should control your cravings. For example, one chocolate bar contains around 10 mg of theobromine.

Can I Consume Chocolate While Pregnant?

It’s easier to answer a question – how much chocolate can I consume while breastfeeding-, than to explain all about chocolate and pregnancy.

There are no studies that can you give us definite answers about chocolate and pregnancy. It’s not harmful, but again, you should find balance when eating chocolate while pregnant.

Consuming chocolate while breastfeeding can affect your milk, but eating chocolate while pregnant can’t affect everything and anything. It all depends. However, it’s better to choose chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa, which is made of high amounts of cocoa solids.

Some studies have shown that chocolate is actually good for your circulation and blood pressure. The most important benefit of chocolate during pregnancy is that acts as a mood booster.

It is confirmed that eating chocolate increases the level of serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone of happiness. When your body produces this hormone, you feel happy and good about yourself.

You already know that stress can be the biggest enemy of your health during pregnancy. Because of this, eating chocolate can be good for you. It can be relaxing and calming if you find chocolate satisfying.

However, since most popular chocolate bars that we all love contain a lot of sugar, please eat them in moderation. When you eat a lot of sugar during pregnancy, that can cause high blood sugar, and high blood sugar can lead to gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes can be managed, but it brings certain risks for you and your baby. It usually goes away when you give birth, but sometimes you’re left with this disease forever. It just goes from being gestational diabetes to being regular diabetes.

Many people live normal lives with diabetes, they just use medications and take care of their diet. However, if it’s something that can be avoided, you should avoid it.

Eat chocolate and enjoy it, but don’t eat a lot of it. Try to eat fruit or drink some smoothies if you have a sweet tooth.

Another reason to be careful when eating chocolate while pregnant is caffeine. As I’ve mentioned before, caffeine is often one of the main ingredients of chocolate. You already know that caffeine intake should be low during pregnancy, so be careful.

Health Benefits Of Chocolate

If you can’t control yourself when we talk about chocolate and breastfeeding, choose white or milk chocolate.

However, if you can resist the temptation to eat a lot of chocolate and have just a little bit, it’s better to choose dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa since it has many health benefits.

Heart Health

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, and it’s great for heart health because of that. Antioxidants can improve your blood pressure and circulation. When you have good circulation and blood pressure, you can avoid serious health diseases.

Immune System

Dark chocolate is a powerful immunity booster. Once again, the antioxidants in dark chocolate are great for fighting with viruses, bacteria, and other germs.

Diabetes

Many people think that it’s not possible for chocolate to help with diabetes. However, dark chocolate contains healthy sugars and fats, and that way it helps to regulate your insulin levels.

Brain Function And Concentration

Dark chocolate is a great tool when you need something that will have a quick effect on your concentration. If you take it regularly, in moderation, it can help you with studying and learning.

Stress

Everybody knows that chocolate is the best cure for stress. There is something magical in that taste that can comfort anyone in the world. Since dark chocolate is filled with beneficial nutrients, it’s a great way to fight stress and anxiety.

Breastfeeding Nutrition

Breastfeeding is a sensitive period for every woman, and it can be difficult to take care of everything. Nutrition during breastfeeding is important, but it’s hard to know what is safe to eat.

Chocolate while breastfeeding is just one of the mysteries many women have. Other things to avoid while breastfeeding will also be mentioned in this article.

Fish High In Mercury

Fish is a great source of protein and fat. It’s easy to prepare, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to make it. It’s one of the best things to eat during pregnancy and the breastfeeding period.

However, a certain type of fish is not good for breastfeeding moms. Fish high in mercury should be avoided during these periods. Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish should be forgotten while nursing.

Seafood like caviar, octopus, and clam chowder is allowed, but make sure to read how to prepare it.

Spicy Food

Spicy food like Hot Cheetos is not forbidden, but if your baby is sensitive or colicky, avoid it. Spicy food is strong for the digestive tract, and some babies can’t handle it.

Beans

Beans are filling and nutritious, but most babies get gassy or colicky when you eat beans.

Processed Food

Processed food is filled with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other harmful ingredients. It’s not the end of the world if you eat something like that from time to time, but it’s not healthy for you and your baby.

Sugar

Food that is filled with sugar is delicious, but too much chocolate, soda, or candy is not healthy at all. This is something that should be avoided even when you’re not breastfeeding. Of course, treating yourself is okay, but eating it all the time in high amounts is not recommended.

Cravings While Breastfeeding And Pregnant

It is well-known that nursing mothers and pregnant women have a lot of cravings. The main reason behind this is hormonal changes. During breastfeeding and pregnancy, your body is flooded with hormones.

This is what makes you sensitive and creates mood swings. However, this is also the reason for your cravings and weird food obsessions.

Many women have some strange food choices and combinations. For most people, those unusual food choices are awful. It’s also common that nursing mothers and pregnant women like something they’ve never liked before.

When it comes to cravings, they can be dangerous. Sometimes, women can’t control themselves, and they create a health problem because they’re eating something in high amounts.

In most cases, the wrong choice of food while breastfeeding can have negative effects on your lactation or breast milk supply.

Of course, small amounts are usually safe, but in case you start getting smaller amounts of milk, try some of the lactation drinks we recommended.

It’s hard to fight those cravings, but you have to do it. It’s not a problem if you have healthy cravings. In this case, there is a small chance of health complications.

Another problem connected to these cravings besides possible complications is weight gain. It’s normal to be heavier during these chapters of your life. However, if you don’t control your cravings, you will gain a lot of unnecessary weight.

Caffeine and chocolate while breastfeeding and pregnant are guilty pleasures of many women. They’re delicious and comforting. They make you feel better.

I understand that completely. But, as I’ve said, it’s better for you and your baby to control these urges. If you try and resist at least once every other time, it will be easier to control yourself.

Food can be an obsession. It’s okay to be a food lover. It’s okay to treat yourself and enjoy. Just try to think of your health while you do this, and I am sure you will find the perfect balance.

Conclusion

Consuming chocolate while breastfeeding is allowed, but in moderation. So, if you’re a chocolate lover, find a way to control yourself. Chocolate and nursing can be a manageable combination.

As I’ve mentioned, theobromine is a stimulant that can aggravate your baby, and I am sure that chocolate is not worth of crying baby.

Dark chocolate is healthier, but it contains more theobromine than milk chocolate and white chocolate. You can eat all these types of chocolate, just take care of the amount.

Food is a major part of our lives, especially nowadays. People are enjoying food and every day we get to see something new. Unfortunately, most of that delicious food is filled with harmful ingredients and it should be avoided.

It’s harder to eat healthy, but it’s not impossible. In the past few years, many people understand how important our diet is. Because of this, it’s easy to find what is healthy for you, and what it isn’t.

Additionally, there are many healthy recipes that will change your opinion about healthy food. It is harder to prepare something healthy and organic. It is harder to eat out when you’re eating clean. It’s not impossible.

This is something that every person should know. However, this information is more important for nursing moms and pregnant women. In these periods of your life, you’re not just responsible for yourself. Your body is a source of food for your baby too, so make an effort to eat healthy food, and drink healthy juice.

Chocolate is delicious, popular, and easy to get. There are so many options, and it’s okay to indulge sometimes. If you can, choose healthier options, with better ingredients.

It’s easy to find more information about everything that could interfere with lactation. It’s easy to find all the possible effects of all foods you consume. You just have to be interested enough.